Israeli negotiators and a Hamas delegation are set to commence talks in Cairo, Egypt, amid hopes for a Gaza ceasefire agreement based on Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan.
Hamas said on Sunday that its delegation, headed by Khalil al-Hayya, the Deputy Head of the group’s political bureau had arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh and would begin the negotiations today, Monday, October 6, 2025, “on the mechanisms for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of [Israeli] occupation forces and a prisoner exchange.”
According to the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli delegation, led by top negotiator Ron Dermer, will leave today for the talks. Israeli media stated that the US Envoy, Steve Witkoff is expected to join the talks in Cairo.
Hopes for a possible ceasefire in Gaza grew after Netanyahu said on Friday that he was hopeful a deal to release all the remaining captives could be announced this week. Western and Arab leaders also urged Hamas and Israel to come to a deal. Israeli officials said that they hope to announce an end to the war in the coming days.
The Egyptian foreign ministry disclosed that the talks will focus on the first phase of Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza, which is the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas in return for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
In a social media post late on Sunday, US President, Donald Trump said that talks were advancing rapidly.
“These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly. The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details.
“I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST.”
Donald Trump
According to Trump, the hostage release and prisoner swap would mean an immediate end to fighting in Gaza.
Since Hamas’ partial acceptance of his plan to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza on Friday, the US, Israel and Hamas have all said that they believe a ceasefire is within sight.
US Secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said in an interview that the talks in Cairo were “the closest we’ve come to getting all the hostages released” but urged Israel to stop bombing Gaza.
“You can’t release hostages in the middle of strikes, so the strikes will have to stop. There can’t be a war going on in the middle of it.”
Marco Rubio
He warned that talks could still falter over logistics, however, and that details of the hostage release needed to be worked out.
Long-term Challenges In Implementing Gaza Ceasefire Plan
Moreover, Rubio said that there were long-term challenges in implementing Trump’s 20-point peace plan, in particular the creation of a technocratic governing body to oversee Gaza in place of Hamas.
He emphasised that the current priority was the hostages’ release and ensuring Israeli troops withdrew to an agreed upon line in Gaza.
Trump’s plan would mean Hamas releasing all hostages within 72 hours, surrendering ruling power to a transnational authority headed by the US President, and laying down its arms.
In return, Israel would gradually withdraw its troops from Gaza and return more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The deal would release a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, parts of which are in famine, as well as reconstruction funds.
However, questions surround vexing issues, such as Israel’s withdrawal from the Strip and Hamas’s disarmament.
Despite the terms of the deal clearly stipulating Israel’s withdrawal, Netanyahu has said that regardless of any deal, troops would remain in most of Gaza.
Israeli media also quoted Defence Minister Israel Katz as saying that Israel would remain in control of the Strip. “Hamas will be disarmed, the Gaza Strip will be demilitarised, and the [Israeli army] will remain in controlling areas to protect the communities,” he said.
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